Apparatus for preshrinking textile fabrics



Sept. 10, 1940. G. SCHLENK 2,214,087

APPARATUS FOR PRESHRINKING TEXTILE FABRICS Filed Aug. 18, 1939 I 3 1 PMPatented Sept. 10, 1940 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PRESHRINKING TEXTILEFABRICS Georg Schlenk, Berlin-Spandau, Germany Application August 181939, Serial No. 290,816

In Germany August 18, 1938 10 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for preshrinking textile fabricsin continuous webs by mechanically pushing the threads of the fabriccloser together. Such apparatus serve for imparting to the fabric apreshrinkage which compensates for the shrinkage in washing, so that thegarment made of the fabric cannot shrink further in the wash. Thedensification of fabrics for other purposes can also be attained by thismeans.

The invention relates to an advantageous construction of such a devicewhich is relatively simple and cheap. By the apparatus according to theinvention an effective densification' of the 5 fabric is obtained whenthe shrinking is carried out. Moreover, by this means a high degree ofdensification of the fabric is attained so that a relatively wide rangeof densification is obtainable and a densification is possible for allin- 20 stances occurring in practice. At the same time the degree ofdensificatlon can be regulated in a simple manner within the said rangeof densification by the apparatus according to the inventlon.

25 Three embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of examplein the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the apparatus in top plan view,

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

80 Fig. 3 shows a modified form of construction in top plan view,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 shows-in side elevation and on a larger scale a portion of theconstruction illustrated 85 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 shows a third form top plan view.

In the drawing the same references are used for the same parts in thedifferent figures. The

40 form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and of construction in 2comprises a support in the form of a rectangular plate I which ispreferably slightly bulged and over which the web 2 of the fabric to bedensified is guided. This web is fed over a. roller 3 to 45 the left endof the support plate I and runs off the right end of the plate over aroller 4. The web 2 therefore moves over the plate I in the direction ofthe arrow shown in Fig. 2, which also indicates the direction in whichthe densification of the fabric takes place and which is herein afterreferred to as. the pushing together direction.

An elastic band 5, for example of rubber, is arranged above the fabricweb 2. On this band b means act which impart to it a reciprocatingswinging or oscillating movement over the fabric web 2, the length ofthe band being varied at the same time. These means in the form ofconstruction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, consists of two crankedshafts 6 and 1 rotating at the same speed and to whose middle parts 8and 9 the end of the elastic band 5 are secured. On each of thesemiddle. parts a metal sleeve Ill or II is mounted so that it is freelyrotatable thereon. Around these sleeves II), II the ends of the bandsecured thereto are wrapped. The lateral arms of the two cranked shafts6 and 1 are in corresponding parallel positions which they retaincontinually during their rotation at the same speed. For this purposethe cranked shaft 1 on the right is driven by'the cranked shaft 6 on theleft through the intermediary of a bevel wheel gear l2, l3 and M. Thelateral arms l5 and [6 of the cranked shaft 6 on the left are longerthan the lateral arms I! and I8 of the cranked shaft I on the right sothat, as can be seen from Fig. 2, the middle part 8 of the left shaft 6describes a circle with larger radius l9 than the middle part 9 of theright shaft 1 whose circle has the smaller radius 20.

To enable the amplitude of oscillation of the elastic band 5 to beadjusted as desired, the length of the lateral arms l5 and I6 of theleft cranked shaft 6 determined by the distance of the middle part 8from the axis of rotation ab, is adjustable. For this purpose these armsengage in sleeves 2| and 22 from which they can be pulled out more orless or into which they can be pushed any desired distance, as thedesired amplitude of oscillation of the elastic band 5 may require. Thearms l5 and I6 are held in the sleeves 2| and 22 by set screws 23 and 24which can easily be loosened. The sleeves 2| and 22 carry the journals25 and 26, the journal 26 being extended and forming the shaft of one of0 the cone pulleys of a. known cone pulley gear 21 serving for varyingthe speed of rotation and whose other cone pulley is mounted on a shaft28 carrying the driving pulley 29. By changing, by means of the beltshifter fork 3|, the position of the belt 30 laid on the cone pulleys,the speed of the cranked shaft 6 and consequently the number ofoscillations of the elastic band 5 can bechahged.

The apparatus above described operates in the following manner: Duringthe rotation of the two cranked shafts 6 and l areclprocatingoscillating or swinging movement is imparted to the elastic band. 5 overthe fabric web 2, the length of the elastic band being periodicallychanged owing to the lateral arms I5 and I6 of the cranked shaft 6 beinglonger than the lateral arms I1 and I6 of the cranked shaft 7. Duringthe rotation of the cranked shafts the elastic band is also periodicallyraised from the fabric web 2. After having been raised from the web 2,the elastic band 5 is also stretched during its movement from theposition 0 (Fig g) into the position d shown in dotted lines in FigI'Z,in the direction counter to that in which the fabric is pushed together.During its return swinging movement in the direction in which the fabricis pushed together, the band contracts and at the same time acts on thefabric web 2, the elastic band 5 being then in the position e indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. 2. As the under side of the band is roughened orcarries projecting elements and the upper side of the support plate I issmooth, the fabric web 2 will be shifted on the plate I by the elasticband 5 acting on it. This band 5 thus exerts a feeding movement on tothe web 2 owing to the movement imparted to the band by the tworotatingcranked shafts 6 and I, so that the Web 2 is fed over the roller3 to the support plate I and led off from this plate over the roller 4.At the same time the elastic band 5, owing to its contraction during its.return swinging movement in the direction in which the fabric is pushedtogether, also eifects the densification of the fabric by pushingtogether in the direction of its length that portion of the web 2, whichis on the support plate I. When the elastic band 5 is in its loweredposition, its two ends preferably run over guide rollers 32 and 33arranged one at each end of the support plate I. These rollers ensurethat the elastic band in its lowered position runs on to and off thesupport plate I in a uniform direction.

In the form of construction illustrated in top plan view in Fig. 3 andin side elevation in Fig. 4 there is also the slightly curved supportplate I over which the fabric web 2 is fed and guided by the feed anddelivery rollers 3 and 4 respectively, and the elastic band 5 locatedover the fabric web 2. This elastic band. 5, in this form ofconstruction, is formed by the lower side of an endless elastic band 36guided over cylinders 34 and 35. The arrow shown in Fig. 4 indicates thedirection in which the fabric web 2 is fed and at the same time thedirection in which the fabric is pushed together during itsdensification. The cylinder 35 on the right in the direction in whichthe fabric is pushed together is keyed on a shaft 39 driven by a belt 31and pulley 38. The bearings 40 and M of this shaft are mounted in arms42 and 43 one on each side of the support plate I and are thereforestationary. On the other hand the bearings 44 and 45 of the shaft 46 ofthe other cylinder 34 perform a reciprocating swing motion under theaction of means acting on these hearings. For this purpose the twobearings 44 and 45'form the upper ends of two vertical oscillatablelevers 41 and 48 arranged one on each side of the cylinder 34, whichlevers are pivotally mounted at their lower end 49. The twooscillatablelevers 41 and 48 are connected by a round bar 50, on which one end of aconnecting rod 5| is rotatably mounted by means of a sleeve 52. Theother end of the connecting rod 5I is mounted on a crank pin 53 of acrank disc 54. This crank disc is rotated by the driven shaft 26 of acone pulley gear 21 of known construction and above described, thedriving shaft 28 of this gear being connected through the intermediaryof a bevel wheel gear I2, I3 and I4 to the shaft 33 driven by the pulley36. The cone pulley gear 21 enables the speed of rotation of the crankdisc 54 to be changed in known manner by shifting the belt 30 by meansof the belt shifter fork 3| and thus allows the changing of the numberof swinging movements of the cylinder 34 reciprocated by the crankshaft, and consequently of the endless band 36 guided by this cylinder.The amplitude of oscillation of this band can be adjusted in that thecrank pin 53 can be secured on the disc 54 at a variable distance fromthe centre thereof by means of a radial slot 55 in the crank disc, asshown in Fig. 4.

Theendless elastic band 36 is set with bristles '56 on the entire areaof its outer side acting on the fabric web 2. This is shown more clearlyin Fig. 5 which is a part side elevation on a larger scale of theportion of the band laid on the left cylinder 34. The bristles 56 areinclined in such a'manner that on the side 5 of the endless band 36actually acting on the fabric Web 2, the bristles point in the directionin which the fabric is pushed together. The elastic band 36 ispreferably made entirely from rubber in which the inclined bristles 56are embedded at one end, preferably by being vulcanized therein.

The form of construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 operates in thefollowing manner:

If the pulley 38 is driven by means of the belt 31, the endless elasticband 36 is caused to circulate on the cylinders 34 and 35 and at thesame time a swinging motion is imparted to this band by the crank gear5|, 52, 53 and 54. The side 5 of the endless band 36 acting on thefabric web 2, owing to the circulation of the band on the cylinders 34and 35, moves the fabric web 2 over the support plate I, the fabric webrunning onto the plate over the auxiliary roller 3 and off the plateover the auxiliary roller 4. At the same time the side 5 of the endlessband 36, owing to the swing motion of the band, exerts a densifyingaction on the fabric web 2 on the support plate I. The swinging movementof the elastic band in counter-direction to that in' which the fabric ispushed together and during which movement the band is stretched, takesplace without exerting any influence on the fabric, owing to thebristles 56 pointing in the direction in which the fabric is pushedtogether. However, during the return swinging movement of the band inthe direction in which fabric is pushed together and during whichmovement the band contracts, the bristles act on the fabric and densifythe same. To keep the friction coeificient between the fabric web 2 andsupport plate I as low as possible the surface of the support plate issmooth. If still less friction is desired, an endless band 59 guidedover rollers 3, 4,51 and 58 may be arranged between the fabric web 2 andthe support plate I and receive a circulating movement.corresponding tothe speed of the fabric web through the intermediary of driving means.

Fig. 6 shows in top plan view another form of construction which issimilar to that illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 only with the differencethat a single endless elastic band 5 of the construction shown in Figs.3 and 4 is divided up into a plurality of separate endless elastic bands5a, 5b, 5c'

common driving cylinder 35 which remains unchanged. This cylinder 35 ismounted in the same manner as in Fig. 3 on a. shaft 39 carrying thepulley 38 driven by the belt 31. The bearings 40 and ll of the shaft 38are again carried in arms 42 and 43 fixed one on each side of thesupport plate I. The separate endless bands are arranged at a distanceapart. Additional endless bands 60a, 60b, 80c, 60d and We are arrangedin the spaces between these bands and laterally thereof and theseadditional bands extend beyond the first mentioned separate bands at theleft or fabric feed side and are here guided by rollers Sla, Mb, Blc,Bld and He carried by a common shaft 62. These additional bands alsopass over the common driving cylinder 35 at the other, that is at theirright end. The shaft 62 is journalled at its two ends in bearings 63 and64 carried by arms 65 and 66 extending downwards, below the adjacentshaft 46, to the support plate I on which they are fixed.

As the form of construction corresponds in other respects with thatshown in Figs. 3 and 4, the driving means 50, 5|, 52, 53 and 54illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, act on the bearings 44 and located at theends of the shaft 46, these driving means being driven by the shaft 39through the intermediary of the bevel wheel gear l2, I3 and I4 andimparting a reciprocating swinging motion to the shaft 46 andconsequently to the'separate endless elastic bands 5a, 5b 5c and 5d.Contrary to the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, however, the shaft62 and the longerendless bands 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d and We circulatingover their rollers and driven by theopposite common driving cylinder 35,do not perform a swinging movement so that these bands can be made ofnonelastic material. The longer endless bands bear against the fabricweb 2 in the same manner as the short bands in the manner illustrated inFig. 5 and are preferably closely set with inclined bristles in the sameway as that shown in this figure.

The operation of the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 6corresponds to that of the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 so thatattention is directed to the foregoing description. The additionalseparate non-swinging bands 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d ind 60a in theconstruction according to Fig. 6 serve the additional purpose ofpressing the fabric web 2 lightly against the support plate I andthereby ensuring better running of the fabric web.

It will be evident from the above that the invention is not limited tothe specific embodiments shown and disclosed herein by way of example,but that the underlying invention idea and principle are susceptible ofnumerous variations and modifications coming within the broad scope andspirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. I wish it tobe understood, therefore, that the specification and drawing are to beregarded in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense.

Although the forms of construction described enable a densification ofthe fabric merely in the direction of the warp threads, the inventioncan be applied also for densifying the fabric in the direction of itsweft threads.

I claim:

1, An apparatus for the preshrinkage of textile fabrics in continuouswebs by mechanically pushing together the fabric, comprising a supportplate over which the fabric web is guided, at least one elastic bandarranged above said sup port plate, means for imparting a reciprocatingswinging motion to said band, said band being at the same time stretcheddurinng its swinging movement in the direction opposite to that in whichthe fabric is pushed together and contracting during its return swingingmovement in the direction in which the fabric is pushed together, andmeans for causing said swinging motion to exert influence on the fabricduring the swinging movement of said band in the direction in which thefabric is pushed together and during the contraction of said band but toremain without influence on the fabric during the swinging movement inthe direction opposite to that in which the fabric is pushed togetherand during the stretching of said band.

2. An apparatus for the preshrinkage of textile fabrics incontinuous-webs by mechanically pushing together the fabric, comprisinga support plate over which the fabric web is guided, at least oneelastic band arranged above said support plate, means for imparting areciprocating swinging motion to said band, said band being at the sametime stretched during its swinging movement in the direction opposite tothat in which the fabric is pushed together and contracting during itsreturn swinging movement in the direction in which the fabric is pushedtogether, and means for bringing said band into contact with the fabricweb during its swinging movement in the direction in which the fabric ispushed together and during the contraction of said band and for raisingsaid band out of contact with the fabric web during the return swingingmovement of said band in the direction opposite to that in which thefabric is pushed together and during the stretching of said band.

3. In an apparatus as specified in claim 1, the means for imparting theswinging movement to the band comprising two cranked shafts one at eachend of the support plate andeach having a middle part to which the saidband is secured and two lateral arms, the lateral arms of the shaft atthe feed end of said 'support plate being longer than the arms of theshaft at the other end of said support plate, and means for rotatingsaid shafts at the same speed.

4. An apparatus for the preshrinkage of textile fabrics in continuouswebs by mechanically pushing together the fabric, comprising a supportplate over which the fabric web is guided, at least one elastic bandarranged above said support plate and contacting the fab '0, means forimparting a reciprocating swinging motion to said band, said band beingat the same time stretched during its swinging movement in the directionopposite to that in which the fabric is pushed together and contractingduring its return swinging movement in the direction in which the fabricis pushed together, and bristles on the side of said band facing thefabric web, said bristles pointing in the direction in which the fabricis pushed together.

5. An apparatus for the preshrinkage of textile fabrics in continuousWebs by mechanically pushing together the fabric, comprising a supportplate over which the fabric web is guided, at least one elastic bandcontacting the fabric arranged above said support plate, means forimparting a reciprocating swinging motion to said band, said band beingat the same time stretched during its swinging movement in the directionopposite to that in which the fabric is pushed together and contractingduring its return swinging movement in the direction in which the fabricis pushed together, said elastic band made entirely of rubber andbristles embedded at one end in the surface of said band facing thefabric and pointing downwards in the directionin which the fabric ispushed together.

6. An apparatus for the preshrinkage of textile fabrics incontinuouswebs by mechanically pushing together the fabriccomprising asupport plate over which the fabric web is guided, at least one elasticband contacting the fabric arranged above said support plate, means forimparting a reciprocating swinging motion to said band, said band beingat the same time stretched during its swinging movement in the directionopposite to that in which the fabric is pushed together and contractingduring its return swinging movement in the direction in which the fabricis pushed together, said band constructed as an endless elastic band;cylinders guiding said band above said support plate, bristles arrangedat an incline on the entire outer surface of said band and pointingdownwards from the under side of said band in the direction in which thefabric is pushed together, and means for circulating said band on saidcylinders.

7. In an apparatus as specified in claim 1, the elastic band'consistingof an endless band, two cylinders guiding said endless band over thesupport plate, and arranged one at each end of the support plate, astationary shaft carrying the cylinder at the delivery end of saidsupport plate, means for driving said shaft to impart a circulatingmotion to said band, a shaft carrying the cylinder at the free end ofsaid plate, and means for imparting a reciprocating swinging movement tosaid last mentioned shaft to periodically stretch and slacken said bandwhile in contact with said fabric and means on said band for pushingtogether said fabric during the swinging of said band.

8. In an apparatus as specified in claim 1, the elastic band comprisinga plurality of separate endless bands, bristles arranged at an inclineon the active outer surface of said bands and pointing downwards fromthe under side of said band in the direction in which the fabric ispushed together, a stationary driven cylinder arranged above thedelivery end of the support plate and supporting one end of said bandsin spaced arrangement, rollers arranged above the feed end of thesupport plate, one roller supporting the other end of each of saidbands,a shaft carrying said rollers, means for reciprocating said shaft toperiodically stretch and slacken said bands, additional endless bandsarranged at one end on said cylinder in the spaces between and laterallyof said first mentioned bands and additional rollers supporting theother end of said additional bands and adapted to guide said additionalbands with the under side continually in contact with the fabric, andmeans for driving said cylinder to impart a circulating motion to saidelastic bands and said additional bands.

9. An apparatus for the preshrinkage of textile fabrics in continuouswebs by mechanically pushing together the fabric, comprising a supportplate over which the fabric web is guided, at least one elastic bandcontacting the fabric arranged above said support plate, means forimparting a reciprocating swinging motion to said band, said band beingat the same time stretched during its swinging movement in the directionopposite to that in which the fabric is pushed together andcontractingduring its return swinging movement in the direction in whichthe fabric is pushed together, and means for adjusting the amplitude ofthe reciprocating swinging movement of said band.

10. An apparatus for the preshrinkage of textile fabrics in continuouswebs by mechanically pushing together the fabric, comprising a supportplate over which the fabric web is guided, at least one elastic bandcontacting the fabric arranged above said support plate, means forimparting a. reciprocating swinging motion to said band, said band beingat the same time stretched during its swinging movement in the directionopposite to that in which the fabric is pushed together and contactingduring its return swinging movement in the direction in which the fabricis pushed together, and means for varying the number of reciprocatingswinging movements of said band.

GEORG SCHLENK.

